Knitting machine



4 Sheets-Sheet l W. D. KELLOGG ETAL KNITTING MACHINE Filed June so, 1945Nov, 20, 1945.

Nov. 20, 1945. w.'D. KELLOGG ETAL KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 50, 1945 4Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV- 20 1945 w. D. KELLOGG Erm. 2,389,154

KNITTING MACHINE I' Filed June 30, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm1/gymles BYmi?! ATTORNEYS Nov. 20, 1945. w. D. KELLOGG ETAL KNITT'ING MACHINE l 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 30,` 1943 shines may be operated with safety.

Patented Nov. 20,- 1945 KNI'ITING MACHINE f william D. Kellogg and Johnmumbai-gh,

Amsterdam, N. Y., assigner! to Aveco, Incorporatella corporation of NewYork Application June 30, 1943, Serial No. 492,803

lclalms.

This invention relates to hitting machines of the warp type and isconcerned more particularly with a novel warp knitting l'uachiner whichcan be operated at a higher output rate and runs more smoothly thanprior similar. machines, so that it is capable of producing fabrics ofhigher quality at lower cost. 'Ihe advantageous results mentioned arederived from the use in the machine of a new and improved supportingstructure which absorbs vibration and prevents transmission thereofbetween certain elements of the machine.

Warp knitting machines as now constructed includea machine frame onwhich are mounted one or more supplies of warp thread in the form ofwarp beams and knitting elementsco :i: n i of a needle bar, slnker bar,presser bar, and guide bar assemblies. These assemblies extend the fulllength of the machine, which may be from 6 to l feet in ordinarypractice, and, during the operation of the machine, they are given rapidnonrotary movements bycams on a common driven shaft also mounted on theframe. .In addition to a rocking movement about a longitudinal Af f.:imparted to them by the cam shaft, the guide bar assemblies are alsoreciprocated endwise by capable of operating at a high rate ofproduction. such as from 350 to '100 stitches a minute, eiiorts havebeen made to overcome diiilculties arising from the development of thevibrational and twisting forces above mentioned by providing themachines with a rigid frame construction. In one prior machine, theframe has included vertical end frame members and one or moreintermediate vertical frame members spaced apart and connected by shortlongitudinal members. for the warp supply, the cam shaft, and theknitting assemblies and various shafts associated therewith, and one endframe supports the patterning mechanism. Such machines have not Y beensatisfactory for high speed operation, be-

cause the complex harmonic forces originating in the cam shaft and itsassociated cams and the forces developed. by the intermittent action ofthe patterning mechanism have caused the machine frame members tovibrate and have' also resulted in the application of warping forces tothe framework. These vibrational and other forces are then transmittedthrough the frame a patterning or traverse mechanism attached to theframe, so that they may lap the threads about the needles in the desiredmanner. The traverse motions of the guide bar assemblies are produced bymeans of pattern cam wheels, which, although continuously driven, are ofsuch shape as to cause the assemblies to move stepwise when they havebeen swung in front and to the rear of the needles. l

To produce fabrics 'of high and uniform quality on such machines, it isessential that the hitting assemblies function smoothly and regularly.Howeverfthe mode of operation of the assemblies causes vibrational andtwisting forces to be applied to the frame by the cam shaft andpatterning mechanism and such forces, when mitted to the assembliesthrough the frame, may cause impairment oi' the quality of the fabric.In addition, the development of those forces and their application tothe frame imposes a limitation upon the speed at which the priormafurther factor of importance in the situation is that the mounting ofthe warp beams on the frame ren salts in a change in the center ofgravity ci the machine and a reduction in its stability, as the weightof the warp supply decreases d the production of the fabric. r

In attempts to build warp hitting machines members to the knittingassemblies and interfere with the smooth operation thereof. Whiletheoretically it is possible to construct a frame supporting the camshaft, the knitting assemblies,

the patterning mechanism, and the warp supply, which is of suilicientrigidity to prevent transmission of vibration from the cam shaft andpattern ing mechanism to the assemblies, in practice, such a frameconstruction cannot be builtl because of space limitations. Thus, if theheight of the machine is kept within reasonable limits for.ac=

cessibility to the Emitting elements, space is not available for the useof the required number of vertical and horizontal members connectedtogetherin such fashion as to produce a rigid construtcion capable ofabsorbing vibrations when the machine is operated at the high speedsmentioned.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the provision of anovel warp knitting machine which overcomes the objections to the priormachines and is greatly superior thereto'in that, bythe use of a newframe construction, the vi brational and twisting forces developed bythe cam shaft and patterning mechanism are kept from being transmittedthrough the frame to the knitting assemblies. At the same time, the newframe permits warp beams of any desired size to be used by making minorchanges in the beam supporting structure and the beams are'so supportedthat their decreasing weight during the The vertical frames affordsupport,

production of fabric does not affect the center of gravity of themachine and, therefore, does not impair the stability of the support forthe knitting elements.

'Ihe new machine a massive integral base which includes a framecomprising extends the iull length of the machine and on which thecamshaft and the patterning mechanism are directly tion, vibrational andother forces generated by the operation of the cam shaft and patterningmechanism cannot pass from their pointsl of origin to the knittingelements, except along a path of which the base' forms a part. Suchforces are, accordingly, absorbed by the base and there is notransmission of the forces from the baseto th'e knitting elementsthrough the vertical frame members in any degree suiilcient to impairthe operation of the elements. Moreover, as the weight of the warpsupply is not supported in any way by the frame members supporting theknitting elements, the changing weight of the warp supply is Withouteffect on the center of gravity and stability of that portion of thestructure on which the knitting elements are mounted.

For a better understanding of th'e invention, reference may be made tothe accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1-is a view of the new .machinein front elevation;

Fig. 2 is an end view of right-hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. sectional view onthe line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views illustrating the -knittingassemblies and the mechanism by which they are operated.

The machine shown in the drawings includes a frame provided with amassive integral base l@ which extends the full length of the machineand is provided at intervals with upright projections Il and l2. Thebase is supported on a oor by feet I3 attached to the base and restingon the oor at spaced points. The upright projections Il and l2 of thebase support the cam shaft' I4 which is journaled in bearings I5 onthose projections, and the projections also provide support for endframe members I6 at the ends of the mathe machine from the 42 on theshaft. Presser prior machines,

' not transmitted through the frame members and i1 to the knittingassemblies but, instead, are

chine and intermediate frame members I1. The

frame members are cut away as shown in Eiga. 2 and 3, so that thecamshaft and its bearings gre wholly out of contact with theframememers.

The knitting elements of th'e machine comprise needle bar, sinker bar,presser bar, and guide bar assemblies supported by the end frame membersand intermediate frame members attached to the base. The needle bar i8extends the whole length of the machine and it is supported at variouspoints by arms I9 fast on shaft 28 supported at its ends in bearings 2lattached to end frame members I8 and at intermediate points in bearings22 mounted on the intermediate frame members I1. The sinker bar 23 alsoextends the full length of the machine and is supported at variouspoints by arms 2| on shaft 25, supported at its ends in bearings 26attached to end v.frame intermediate frame member 58,

vibrations and otherv Vmembers i6 and at intermediate points in bearings3 on intermediate frame members i1.' The guidebars 32 and 33 extend theentire length of the machine and are secured by suitable connections toa shaft 3d supported in bearings 35 attached to a longitudinal member 36which is, in turn, attached at its ends to end frame members i6 and atintermediate points to intermediate frame members i1.

During the knitting operation, oscillatory motion is imparted to theknitting assemblies by cams on cam shaft it. .The needle bar is actuatedby oscillation of shaft 20 and, for this purpose,y the shaft is providedwith' arms 31 having bifurcated ends carrying rollers 38 running on cams39 on shaft I4. The sinker bar is actuated by oscillation of shaft 25and, for this purpose, the shaft is provided with arms 40having-bifurcated ends carrying rollers 4| running on-cams bar 28 isactuated by oscillation of shaft 29 and the shaft is provided with arms43 terminating in-bfurcated ends carry-- ing' rollers 44 running on cams45 on th'e shaft. The guide bars 32, 33 are actuated by oscillation ofshaft 36 and the shaft is provided with arms 46each of which isconnected by a link 41 to Ya lever 48 pivoted on shaft 20 andterminating in bifurcated ends carrying rollers 48 runningV on cams 53on th'e shaft. In each instance'above, thetwo rollers on an arm, such asrollers 38 on one of the arms 31, run on separate cams on the cam shaft,but only one such cam is shown for the sake' of clearness,

The rotation of the cam shaft causes the various cams to impart therequisite non-rotary motions to the knitting assemblies and such motionsresult in the generation of vibrations. In the the cam shaft issupported in bearings mounted directly on the end frame and intermediateframe members, with the result that forces originating in the shaft aretransmitted directly through those frame members to the knittingassemblies. In the present construction, the cam shaft is supporteddirectly on the base and the vibrational and other forces originating inthe cam shaft are 6 absorbed by the base.

The warp supplyof the new machine may include one or more beams and, inthe machine i1- lustrated, the supply comprises two beams 5| and 5,2,which aresupported by a structure separate and distinct from that inwhich the knitting assemblies are mounted. ,The beams are supported attheir ends in suitable bearings in end frame members 53 held in positionby attachment at points 5l` and 55 to the end frame members i6. Endframes 53 are supported in part by ledge 58 on the base i0, and asubstantial portion of the weight of the warp supply and its supportingstructure is carried by lower ends of frame members 53 and resting onthe floor. The warp beams are also. supported at one or moreintermediate points by bearings in an which is held in position byattachment at point 5,9 to the longiported in part by as-ledge feet 51attached to the in part by n reet sl beneath the lower end of the "frameand resting on the floor.

The warp threads 62 and 63 drawn from the beams Stand 52, respectively,pass over spring actuated tension bars 64 and 65 to thread 'guides 66and 61 carried by the guide bars 32 and 33, re-

spectively. 'I 'he guides direct the threads to needles 68 carried onthe needle bar I8 and the threads are knitted into the fabric by theinteraction of the guides 66 and 61, the needles 68, the sinkers 69 onthe bar 23, and the presser 'lli carried by the bar 28.

During the knitting operation, each guide Vbar receives two kinds ofmotion during the cycle, namely, rocking motion about shaft 3l to carrythe threads back and forth between the needles, and an endwisepatterning motion occurring when the thread guides are in front and tothe rear of the needles, these motions lapping the threads around theneedles. The patterning motion is imparted to guide bar 32 by aconnection 1| secured at one end to the guide bar and at the other endto a sliding plunger 'i2 mounted in a bracket 13. One vend of theplunger is provided with a cam roller 14 bearing on the surface of apattern camwheel 15. To maintain the roller against the cam surface, aspring 'i6 is' connected to the opposite end of the guide bar and to abracket Tl faston shaft 34. 'I'he cam 'l5 is fast on a shaft 'I8 mountedin bearings in 30 a bracket 19 and actuated from cam shaft-i4 throughsuitable gearing 80. The guide bar 33 is driven in like manner by asecond patterning cam on shaft 78; Brackets 'i3-for plungers 'l2 andbrackets 'i9 for shaft 'i3 are mounted on a support elv which issupport'ed on an integral ex. tension 82 of base it.

During knitting, the patterning cams are driven continuouslyby the gears80 from the cam 'shaft it, but their peripheral shapes are such thatthey impart a. stepwise or intermittent moe tion to the guide bars whenthe latter are in the .front and in the rear of the needles. In highspeed operation, such intermittent motion produces vibrational forcesand, in the prior constructions in which the patterning mechanism iscarried directly by vertical side frame members,

those vibrational forces are transmitted to the frame members andthrough them directly to the other knitting elements carried thereby. Inthe new machine, the patterning mechanism is carried by the integralbase independently of the frame supporting the knitting assemblies so,that any vibration developed in the patterning mechanism is absorbed bythe base and is not transmitted through the frame members to theassemblies.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the manner of constructingthe frame of the new machine provides a structure supporting both thecam shaft and patterning mechanism, by which vibrational and otherobjectionable forces are generated, and the knitting elements, whichmust be protected against such forces, in such manner as to preventtransmission of those forces from their points oft-origin to theelements.

This result is attained by including in the frame structure a massiveintegral base and then mounting the cam shaft, the patterning mechanism,and the knitting elements independently and similar undesirable forcesgeneratedfby the shaft and mechanism pass therefrom to the base, wherethey are absorbed, and such forces do not pass from the base to theelements in undesirblies, and this is accomplished by supporting thewarpsupply in such manner that variations in weight thereof during operationdo not alter the center of gravity of thev assembly supporting means.-The new machine can, accordingly, be

operated 4at higher. speeds than prior machines without impairment ofthe quality of the fabric produced and in complete safety.

We claim:

1.1m n wnni knitting xnaehine, the eemb1na' tion of an integral baseextending the full length of the machine,l supporting members mounted onthe base and extending upwardly/therefrom, knitassemblies mounted on themembers, and a cam shaft forfdriving all the knitting assemblies,

the cam mounted directly on the base out of contactwith the supportingmembers for the assemb1i'es.'

2. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of an integilbaseextending the full length of the machine, supporting members mounted onthe base and extending upwardly therefrom, knitting assemblies mountedon the members, bearings mounted directly. on the base out of contactwith the supporting members fox/'fthe assemblies,

' mounted in the bearings.

a warpknitting machine,l the combination of an integral b ase extendingthe full length of the machinesupporting members mounted on 85 the baseand extending upwardly therefrom, knitting assemblies mounted on themembers, a cam shaft for driving all the knitting assemblies, the

cam shaft being supported by the baseout 0f contact with the supportingmembers for the. as-` 5 tion of an integral base extending the fulllength of the machine, supporting members mounted on the base andextending upwardly therefrom, knitting assemblies mounted 'onthevmembers, bearings mounted on the base, a cam shaft for driving 5dall the assemblies, the cam shaft being mounted in the bearings out ofcontact'with the supporting members, and a patterning mechanism mountedon the base out of contact with the supporting members and the camshaft.

5. In a warpknitting machine, the combination of an integral "oaseextending the full length of the machine, supporting members mounted onthe base and extending upwardly therefrom, knitting assemblies mountedon the members, a. cam shaft for driving the knitting assemblies, thecam shaft being supported by the base out of contact e with thesupporting'members for the assemblies.

and supporting members for warp beams, said members-being arranged totransmit the weight of the beams partly to the base and partly to thesupporting surface onk which `the base rests, whereby variations inweight of the-warp supply do not substantially affect the center ofgravity and stability of the structure comprisingthe knitting assembliesand their supporting members.

6.- Ina warp knitting machine, the combination on the base. With'thisarrangement, vibrational ,m assemblies mounted on the members, a camshaft for driving the hitting' assemblies, the cam shaft and a cam shaftdriving all thefassemblie's and being supported by the base out oflcontact with the supporting members for the assemblies, a patterningmechanism mounted on the base out of -for driving all the assemblies,and separate and independent means for supporting the assemblies andshaft from the base, whereby vibrations developed by the cam shaft andthe assemblies during operation are transmitted directly to the basethrough the respective supporting means for the assemblies and shaft. I

1 8. In a. warp knitting machine, the/combination of an integral baseextending the full length of the machine, knitting assemblies includingthread guide bars, a cam shaft for driving all the assemblies, and apatterning mechanism Afor controlling the operation of the thread guidebars, the knitting assemblies, cam shaft, and patterning mechanism beingsupported from the base wholly independently of one another.

9. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of an'integral baseextending the full lengthv of the machine, vertical frame memberson thebase, knitting assemblies mounted in the vertical frame members, a camshaft for driving all the assemblies and mounted on the base outofcontact with theframe members, whereby vibrations developed by the camshaft cannot be transmitted to the assemblies except through the base,and a patterning mechanism mounted on the base independently of theframe members and cam shaft.

10. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of an integral baseextending the full length of the machine, vertical frame members on thebase, knitting assemblies mounted in the vertical frame'members, a camshaft for driving l the assemblies and mounted on the base out ofcontact with the frame members, whereby vibrations developed by the camshaft cannot be transmitted to the assemblies except through the base,and supporting members for warp beams constructed to transmit the weightof the beams partly to the base and partly to the surface on which thebase rests, whereby variations in the weight of the warp supply does notsubstantially affect the center of gravity and stability of the Cil camshaft for driving all the knitting assemblies, the cam shaft beingsupported by the base out of contact with the supporting members for theassemblies, and a patterning mechanism mounted on the base out ofcontact with the sup-` porting members.

13. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of an integral baseextending the full length of the machine, supporting members mounted onthe base and extending upwardly therefrom, knitting assemblies mountedon the members, bearings mounted on the base, a cam shaft for drivingall the assemblies, the cam shaft being mounted on the bearings out ofcontact with the supporting members, and a patterning mechanism mountedon the base out of contact with the supporting members.

14. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of an integral baseextending the full length of the machine, supporting members mounted onthe base and extending upwardly therefrom, a warp guide bar assemblymounted on the supporting members, and a cam shaft for driving the warpguide bar assembly and mounted on the base out of contact with thesupporting members.

15. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of an integral baseextending the full length of the machine, supporting members mounted onthe base and extending upwardly therefrom, a presser bar assemblymounted on the supporting members, and a cam shaft for driving thepresser bar assembly and mounted on the base out of contact with thesupporting members.

16. In a Warp knitting machine, the combination of an integral baseextending the full length of the machine, supporting members mounted onthe base and extending upwardly therefrom, a sinker bar assembly mountedon the supporting members, and a cam shaft for driving the sinker barassembly and mounted on the base out of contact with the supportingmembers.

WILLIAM D. KEILOGG.

JOHN FRADENBURGH.

